Walnuts Leisure Centre.

Background
Site Specifications
Impact

The transformed Walnuts Leisure Centre in Orpington, London Borough of Bromley, officially opened on Thursday 2nd July.

The transformation has been funded by Bromley Council, with further support from a £3.4m Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme contribution, a £296,000 Sport England grant and £125,000 from the London Marathon Foundation.

We delivered the works for Bromley Council through the UK Leisure Framework, owned and managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd, alongside a team of specialist partners.

Mytime Active, an independent charity and social enterprise, will continue to operate the centre as part of its mission to improve wellbeing in local communities.

An exciting facility mix was carefully chosen based on the needs of the local community. The upgrades include:

• A new competition-length swimming pool and training pool
• Bright new reception and café areas
• Refreshed and newly marked sports hall
• A children’s splash wall for family water play
• New sauna and steam room
• Expanded two-level gym, complete with a functional training area and brand-new fitness equipment
• State-of-the-art EGYM smart strength training equipment, allowing adjustable workouts and supporting rehabilitation

A completely new heating system was also installed in order to reduce running costs.

The local community were thrilled to attend the reopening event and we look forward to seeing what impact the new centre has on members and local residents.

Client: Bromley Council

Partners: Sport England, Etec Group, GT3 Architects, Varsity Consulting, Myrtha Pools, UK Leisure Framework (managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd)

Project Value: £17m

Opened: July 2026

View Video & Gallery

We have worked closely with Bromley Council to bring forward a vision that secures the long-term future of Walnuts Leisure Centre. This project is about far more than bricks and mortar, it is about creating a high-quality, energy-efficient community asset that will support healthier lifestyles, social connection and local pride for generations to come.

Ruth Ripsher

Delivery Manager at Alliance Leisure

The stage is now set to reveal the incredible transformation of this much-loved leisure centre, funded and delivered by Bromley Council. We know how eager residents are to return and we have been doing all we can to complete this huge investment in the borough’s leisure provision as soon as possible. Residents will be able to enjoy the state-of-the-art facilities over the summer and long into the future, thanks to a whole host of works completed behind-the-scenes to secure this centre for Orpington.

Councillor Yvonne Bear

Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing

We are thrilled to welcome members and residents back to the transformed Walnuts Leisure Centre. At Mytime Active, we’re passionate about providing more than just leisure facilities; our aim is to offer a true community hub to better serve the needs of local residents for many years to come. The scale of this investment by the Council means the whole community will benefit from outstanding new facilities. Walnuts Leisure Centre will be a vibrant hub where people can improve their health and wellbeing, try out new hobbies, connect with others and enrich their lives, all under one roof.

Steve May

Chief Executive Officer at Mytime Active

Video & Gallery.

Insight & Engagement.

Working closely with the council, our Insight and Engagement team supported the redevelopment of Walnuts Leisure Centre through the creation of a dedicated microsite which was regularly updated so that the local community were kept informed of the progress onsite.

We also assisted with compiling an ongoing communication plan and provided support for the open day event by arranging photography and videography.

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